Control Global

Not just anybody can perform effective pressure calibrations. And especially with today’s highly stable, precise instrumentation, any drift in the applied calibration pressure due to small leaks or pump idiosyncrasies can result in doing more harm…

Q: I came across your “Ask the experts” column at www.controlglobal.com, and I'd like to ask a question I’ve had for quite a while regarding the control of fuel gas to a fired heater.
This particular unit is a natural-draft heater used in a…

Wireless leak detection sensors check to see if hydrocarbons are leaking into a tank’s retention pond from overflows, valves, pumps and cracks.

On December 10, 2005, Tank 912 at the Buncefield Oil Storage Depot in Hertfordshire, England, was filling with gasoline. According to a report by the European Process Safety Centre, the tank had two forms of level control: a gauge enabling personnel…

Q: I came across your “Ask the experts” column at www.controlglobal.com, and I'd like to ask a question I’ve had for quite a while regarding the control of fuel gas to a fired heater.
This particular unit is a natural-draft heater used in a…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new ebook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Taming temperature and pressure
Secrets to good vessel temperature and pH control
Living on the edge with surge…

Control's Monthly Resource Guide brings you the latest online resources on a variety of process control topics.

MULTI-PART WEIGHING
This four-section webpage by Omega Engineering covers "Weighing Applications," "Weighing System Design," "Installation and Calibration" and "Specialized Installations." The whole group is located at…

To keep up with demand for its temperature and analyzer products, Endress+Hauser opened two new manufacturing facilities on May 31, including a more than $8-million, 42,000-square-foot temperature measurement plant at its North American headquarters…

Q: I came across your “Ask the experts” column at www.controlglobal.com, and I'd like to ask a question I’ve had for quite a while regarding the control of fuel gas to a fired heater.
This particular unit is a natural-draft heater used in a…

It is well known that the operator can make or break a system. A recent research study found that only 2% of process losses and safety issues could be traced to something other than human error. Operator training is recognized as essential. Not…

Operation and maintenance organizations shouldn’t assume that they can merely connect our “things” from the last century and reap the benefits.

Following a brief “swoop-down” to quickly remedy some process equipment issues, a plant experienced erratic behavior of a critical valve—critical because it provided surge control for a large compressor. No one was comfortable proceeding with…

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.

The latest trends, technology and implementations are detailed in this new eBook from the editors of Control.
Topics covered include:
Pressure rising for open, secure systems
Exploring the love/hate relationship with distributed control
Making…

Our readers tell us who they think delivers the best technology in our industry

There's knowledge in our readers. That's why every year we ask our loyal audience to help us determine which automation service providers offer the best products and brands they can rely on to get the best combination of performance, ease of use,…

Basic motor overview
The five-page paper, "AC-powered motors in automation: general purpose, inverter/vector duty and stepper motors," provides a good overview of the main motor types used in many control and automation applications.
Read it here.

There are a lot of misconceptions in the application of automation systems in the process industries. Sometimes these errors in thinking don’t cause much harm because good design practices keep the user out of trouble, but they keep us from the…

Control's monthly guide brings you invaluable industry information to stay up to date on the latest trends and developments.

THE CLASSIC VALVE BOOK
The fourth edition of the 295-page classic text, "Control Valve Handbook," by Fisher Controls International and Emerson Process Management reports this classic text has been a primary reference since its first printing in1965.

Basic motor overview
The five-page paper, "AC-powered motors in automation: general purpose, inverter/vector duty and stepper motors," provides a good overview of the main motor types used in many control and automation applications.
Read it here.

"Mobility means different things. Within a plant, it can mean not being tied to a particular station, and being able to move around. Or, it can mean not being in a plant at all, and accessing applications via tablet PCs and mobile phones off-premises," says Matrix Technologies' Eric Lauber

Eric Lauber, project engineer at Matrix Technologies, a CSIA-certified system integrator, in Maumee, Ohio, reports that, "Mobility means different things. Within a plant, it can mean not being tied to a particular station, and being able to move…

Bonnie Ramey, DuPont senior process control engineer and HMI expert, explores how these standards are critical for improving the performance of operators, enabling them to better do the tasks needed for abnormal conditions, operational states and production objectives.

Greg: The operator is on a moment-to-moment to basis, making sure the process is safe, reliable and productive. It appears to me that the operator interface developed for the original distributed control systems in the 1970s did not improve much for…

Our process plants are not exempt from the forces of chaos, so when the caller ID indicates the plant, we might worry that it brings news of an unexpected trip or an injury to an employee or contractor.

A few years ago, my insurance man asked me, “You’re an engineer, aren’t you?” I was indeed, I said, and he went on to explain that I was eligible for a rate reduction, I just needed to fax him documentation of the degree I’d earned decades…

Our readers tell us who they think delivers the best technology in our industry

There's knowledge in our readers. That's why every year we ask our loyal audience to help us determine which automation service providers offer the best products and brands they can rely on to get the best combination of performance, ease of use,…

Operation and maintenance organizations shouldn’t assume that they can merely connect our “things” from the last century and reap the benefits.

Following a brief “swoop-down” to quickly remedy some process equipment issues, a plant experienced erratic behavior of a critical valve—critical because it provided surge control for a large compressor. No one was comfortable proceeding with…

A few worthy, proven technical innovations are making their way into IS solutions and settings.

Some things never change, which means they just change more slowly than we usually notice. One of these tortoises is intrinsic safety (IS) in the process industries, and most control engineers and other folks I know are grateful for its…

Operation and maintenance organizations shouldn’t assume that they can merely connect our “things” from the last century and reap the benefits.

Following a brief “swoop-down” to quickly remedy some process equipment issues, a plant experienced erratic behavior of a critical valve—critical because it provided surge control for a large compressor. No one was comfortable proceeding with…

Material choices affect the design and reliability of wireless connections.

There is obviously more to an enclosure than “just a box with a door” to mount common equipment inside. Unfortunately, like power supplies that we discussed earlier this year, enclosures are often an overlooked element of the engineering design…

In response to Control's questions about field-to-cloud networking for the "Alternate Paths" cover story in the June 2017 issue, two experts provided some thorough and comprehensive responses.

In response to Control's questions about field-to-cloud networking for the "Alternate Paths" cover story in the June 2017 issue, two experts from Red Lion Controls provided some thorough and comprehensive responses. They are Colin Geis, product…

OPA is not a standards-developing body, which means they will either have to adopt existing standards or work with another standards-developing organization such as ISA, FM, or UL to create any required documents.

The Open Process Automation Forum (OPA) and the team led by end-user companies ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell and BASF to develop the next generation control system have stated from the start that the solution will be based on open standards.

Be just 33 seconds more productive each hour, and the savings mount quickly.

Rockwell Automation previewed its new, forward-looking App Platform for mobility at this week’s TechED conference in Orlando. While focused first on redefining smartphone use on the plant floor – with the aim of making individual workers more…

As a chemical engineer by training, one aspect of automation that I had to pick up post-graduation was a basic understanding of electrical engineering. Although it wasn't a natural fit for me (my alma mater makes Chem Es take an electrical…

Best practices for implementing and auditing the integrity of information and decision systems across accounting, marketing, engineering, manufacturing, supply chain management and customer service systems.

Any company undergoing digitization and adopting the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) may experience up to a 10-fold increase in confusion, delays, failures and expense. The root cause will be reliance on interactions among a suite of computer…

Our process plants are not exempt from the forces of chaos, so when the caller ID indicates the plant, we might worry that it brings news of an unexpected trip or an injury to an employee or contractor.

A few years ago, my insurance man asked me, “You’re an engineer, aren’t you?” I was indeed, I said, and he went on to explain that I was eligible for a rate reduction, I just needed to fax him documentation of the degree I’d earned decades…

Few and surmountable obstacles lie between us and command-perform-verify.

ISA released the ISA-106 “Procedure Automation for Continuous Process Operations” initial Technical Report (TR) defining models and terminology in August 2013, and several manufacturers have implemented their interpretation of this document…

One of the few processes whose efficiency can be doubled through optimization.

In recent months, I discussed some non-industrial processes, such as control of the economy or climate change, automation of smart cars, the risks of cyber terrorism, the potentials and limitations of artificial intelligence, etc. Now, I'll return…

Why and how to secure industrial control and safety systems at every conduit.

Cybersecurity is all the rage now with everyone wondering if someone is peeking under their petticoats or will hack their control system and take over their process, a la Stuxnet, leading to a disaster. This is an important issue that requires a…

Nextnine's industrial cybersecurity business will be integrated into Honeywell’s Industrial Cyber Security group

To further strengthen its leadership in industrial cybersecurity, Honeywell reported Aug. 1 that it's completed the acquisition of Nextnine Ltd. it announced on June 13. Nextnine's industrial cybersecurity business will be integrated into…

Recognize aggressive media and know how to specify materials of construction.

Greg: Here we enjoy some war stories on material selection by Hunter Vegas, senior project manager at Wunderlich-Malec Engineering in Greensboro, N.C., a cofounder and key resource of the ISA Mentor Program revitalized by the Nov. 16, 2015, Control…

Material choices affect the design and reliability of wireless connections.

There is obviously more to an enclosure than “just a box with a door” to mount common equipment inside. Unfortunately, like power supplies that we discussed earlier this year, enclosures are often an overlooked element of the engineering design…

Control Software

The Latest in Functionality and Features for Control Software

ONE-TIME CONTROL DESIGNAdvantech800/205-7940 Advantech's KW Software Multiprog and ProConOS requires only a one-time design, and then can leverage control know-how easily into different control platforms to meet versatile automation projects needs. KW SoftLogic also creates single-tagging database and HMI software, and shares the same tagging database via OPC server under the Windows CE operating system. Multiprog supports all IEC 61131-3 programming languages. Depending on their needs, users may choose one of the five standardized programming languages.

ENABLE EMERGING APPSNational Instruments800/258-7022LabView 2009 simplifies the development challenges of parallel hardware architectures with its new virtualization technology that takes advantage of multicore systems, as well as offering new compiler improvements and IP that enhance field-programmable gate array (FPGA) design. The latest version makes it possible to deploy code to wireless sensor networks, and features new solutions for testing multiple wireless standards such as WLAN, WiMAX, GPS and MIMO systems on one hardware platform. Also, LabView 2009 simplifies real-time math by streamlining mathematical algorithm design and deployment to real-time hardware.

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMEmerson Process Management512/418-7536 The scalable DeltaV SIS safety management system system architecture enables control of any size safety application—with no practical capacity limits. In the new V.11 software release, SISNet Domains allow the system to be geographically and functionaly distributed to reduce wiring costs and optimize performance.

ETHERNET/IP COMPATIBILITYBeckhoff Automation952/890-0000Beckhoff Automation has announced full EtherNet/IP compatibility with TwinCat. By using TwinCat's EtherNet/IP Slave (available in Windows XP and CE variants), one standard TwinCat software package can communicate seamlessly with all devices from Beckhoff, including industrial PCs, embedded PCs, PLCs and EtherNet/IP master devices from other vendors. EtherNet/IP has been fully integrated into the TwinCat programming environment, allowing for graphical linking of mapped data to PLC tasks. TwinCat also supports all major fieldbus networks including DeviceNet, Profibus, SERCOS, CANopen and Ethernet TCP/IP.

NEXT-GEN CPUSYokogawa800-258-2552 E-RT3 2.0 series of processors features a high-speed RISC processor, a choice of operating systems—VxWorks 6 or Linux—and complete compatibility with existing FA-M3 I/O platforms and CPUs. E-RT3 CPU can run proprietary algorithms or other specialized applications, while allowing the standard logic CPUs to coordinate discrete machine control. With the FA-M3 PAC family, a large selection of I/O modules including discrete, analog, temperature control module, motion or communication modules are available. Also, a mechanism is provided with which users can develop their own I/O modules.

DCS FOR SMALL MANUFACTURERS HoneywellExperion LS control system provides the power and reliability of a distributed control system (DCS) in a small and flexible solution. Also, it manages all continuous process control applications, and optimizes sequence-oriented and batch applications typically found at specialty chemicals, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and consumer goods producers. Scalable from one PC and controller to multiple stations, Experion LS promotes plant reliability and flexibility while lowering lifecycle costs for smaller manufacturing sites.

IFIX ON THE WEB GE Intelligent Platforms800/433-2682 GE Intelligent Platforms' Proficy HMI/SCADA—iFix WebSpace is a full-featured web client for the company's iFix visualization solution, which enables informed decisions from anywhere, anytime. iFix WebSpace enables full control and visualization capabilities over a company's intranet or Internet system without the need to change or alter the iFix application. iFix screens and functionality are delivered seamlessly into a web browser, requiring no additional development effort and can be set up within minutes. iFix WebSpace provides real-time data updates, multiple sessions, secure containment, e-signatures, animations, support for iFix control elements and security setup, alarms and warnings and third-party applications.

SIEMENS DRIVER + .NET Automated Solutions800/410-4632 Automated Solutions recently added a new Siemens S7 Ethernet driver to its ASComm.NET component for industrial communications. ASComm.NET now implements driver support for Siemens S7 via Ethernet, A-B Logix family of processors via Ethernet, A-B PLC5, SLC500, MicroLogix via Ethernet, Modbus/TCP Master and GE SRTP Ethernet. ASComm.NET is a .NET component that provides the communication link between .NET applications and industrial controllers, PLCs and instrumentation. ASComm.NET provides HMI/SCADA developers and machine builders with a runtime-free option for creating HMI, control and supervisory control applications in Visual Studio.NET. It can be used in Windows, console, service, WPF and web applications. All drivers are self-contained; no third-party driver purchase is required.

REVAMPED HISTORIANCanary Labs814/793 3770 Canary Trend Historian version 8.0 eases the task of collecting, storing, managing and automatically validating vast quantities of time-series data. Available in either a 32-bit or 64-bit versions, it has been redesigned to maximize performance, providing the industry's highest capacities and throughputs. Features include writing performance exceeding 3.6 million updates (TVQs) per second; reading performance exceeding 13 million updates (TVQs) per second. Both 64-bit and 32-bit versions are available. One hundred to 1 million-plus tags are available to accommodate the smallest to the largest systems. It is also OPC-HDA-compliant.

PLOTTING AND ANALYSIS SOFTWAREGivens control Engineering(905) 631-8293 Analyse-Plus allows users to plot and analyze data to make quick conclusions regarding variability and process control, tuning and diagnosing problems with tuning, valves or instrumentation. Analyse-Plus allows plotting individual or over-laid plots with multiple y-axis labels including statistics, zooming, Fourier analysis (frequency and period scales) and auto- and cross-correlation. Data can be imported and exported via DDE Send/Receive or DDE Server or through text files.

IMAGE CAPTURE FOR LOAD TRACEABILITYAvery Weigh-TronixMI Payload weighing software that stores and presents photographic images to improve validation and traceability within a business. Images of vehicles, drivers and commodities can be stored in the database and presented to an operator during the weighing process. By comparing with live video feeds, the operator is able to identity the person, load and truck, reducing the likelihood of misidentification through operator mistakes or even fraudulent intent. MI Payload also allows the operator to capture the live image and have a permanent visual record of an individual transaction.

NANONAVIGATORPhoenix Contact800/888-7388 The new nanoNavigator 2.0, for use with Phoenix Contact's nanoLine controller, adds relay ladder logic (RLL) programming in addition to the easy-to-program flow chart language in the original version. nanoNavigator 2.0 allows expanded programming flexibility because each project can consist of flowchart and RLL chart sub-projects. These can be composed of any combination of flowcharts or RLL charts up to a maximum of 16 charts. nanoNavigator 2.0 is backwards-compatible with all existing nanoLine base stations as of FW 101. The RLL language is well suited for simple parallel processing tasks, such as lighting control, while flowchart programming offers easier handling of more advanced instructions. nanoNavigator is free to download from www.nanonavigator.com.